Exhaust gas purifier



April 1936 s. F. PLACKO, JR ,0

EXHAUST GAS PURIFIER Filed May 9, 1934 2 Sheets-fleet l I 124 Z 3 6 j.426 15! 38 44 125 p 34 L529 i'l zwkad 18 U6 I mvsm'on HIS ATTOR N EYSPatented A... 2.1, 193s UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE My invention relatesto internal combustion engines, and has among its objects and advantagesthe provision of an improved exhaust gas In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1. is a side view of an engine illustrating my invention appliedthereto;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taxen along the line 3-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is'a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of a diiferent form of agitator; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of an air inlet valve.

In the embodiment selected to illustrate my invention, I make use of aninternal combustion engine I0 mounted upon the usual vehicle frame I2.Upon one of the frame members I2 I mount two drums I4 and I6 throughthe'medium of a bracket I8 bolted to the member at 20. Referring to Fig.4, the drum I6 has a wide slot 22in its bottom wall and the edges of theslot welded to the drum I4 at 24. -A collector box 26 is welded to'thebottom side of the drum I4 at 28, and functions as a base for the.twodrums. The bottom of this box is bolted 'to the bracket I8 at to.Communication between the drum I4 and the collector box 26 isestablished through the medium of a plurality of slots 32.

The drums I4 and I6, together with the purifying medium used therein,are designed to eliminate obnoxious or dangerous fumes from the exhaustgases passing from the engine I0. To this end, I connect the drum I4with the exhaust pipe 24 through the medium of a branch pipe 36 and avalve 30 arranged to open and close the communication between the pipes34 and 26. In Fig. 3, I illustrate the drum I4 as being provided with aremovable head 40 having flanges ,42 co-operating with flanges 44through the medium of bolts '45 for holding the head'to the drum. Theopposite end of the drum is provided with a'closure head 46 which may bewelded to the drum;

Both the heads 40 and 46 are provided with bearings 40 and 50,respectively, for supporting a shaft 52 upon which a screw agitator 54is mounted.

Referring to Fig. 3, this agitator comprises two helically-shapedperforated blades 56 and 68 fastened to the shaft 52 and having theirperipheral edges fitting snugly within the drum. Similarly, four bladeagitating members 60 are mounted upon the shaft 52 and have their edgesserrated at 62. These blades fit snugly within the drum.

Each blade is provided with a series of differently shaped openings 64,66, 68, and I0. These openings agitate the purifying medium vigorouslyand cause intimate commingling of a the fumes from the exhaust with theagitated purifying medium. The openings 60, 66, and 68 have de-"flectors I2, I4, and 16 associated therewith. These deflectors representthe material struck up from the blades to provide the openings.Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, it will be noted that the deflectors I2 andI6 project in the same direction from the same side of their respectiveblades, while the deflector 14 projects at a different angle of hydrogenmake a goodpreparation for the summer months.

In operation, the shaft 52;.is rotated through the mediuin of a clutchmember 80 splined to the shaft and arranged to be thrown into frictionalengagement with a sheave 82 mounted for rotation upon the bearingassembly 84 carried by the shaft. This sheave is grooved to receive aV-belt 66 passing around the fan pulley 88, the generator pulley 90, andthe crank shaft pulley 92 (see Fig. 2). I

Referring to Fig. 3, the shaft 52 is rotated in I the directionindicated by the arrow 94. Such rotation makes the blades 56 and 58operate as screws tending to move the exhaust gases entering the drum I4and the liquid therein toward the end 46 of the drum. The rotation ofthe shaft 52 causes the liquid in the drum I4 to be highly agitated sothat the exhaust gases from the engine is caused to become intimatelymixed with the agitated liquid. The perforations in the blades 56 and 58and the blades 60, together with the serrated edges 62, co-operate withthe deflectors 12, I4, and 16, to intimately mix the gases with thetreating fluid.

Two U-shaped tubes 96 and a U-shaped tube 96 place the drum I4 incommunication with the drum I6. tion between the lower side of thedrums, while the tube 98 establishes communication. between the upperpart of the drums. The propelling action of the agitator causes theexhaust gases treated by the fluid to be passed into the drum I6together with certain amounts of the treating fluid. Material dischargedinto the drum I6 passes through a screen I00 and a pair of slottedpartitions I02 and I04, between which a cushion of copper or aluminumwool I06 is positioned. A

third slotted partition I08 is. arranged in spaced relation with thepartition I04. A plurality of The tubes 96- establish communicascreensII B is positioned between the partitions I04 and I88 in addition to aquantity of copper or aluminum wool H2. The large number of screens I I0perform an eflicient screening action. The screens are arranged instacked relation and co-operate with the copper-aluminum wool to removeparticles of carbon from the liquid circulating through the system. Eachof the partitions I82, I04, and I08 has an edge II4 conforming to thecurvature of the drum I4, but arranged in spaced relation therewith toprovide an easy flow path for some of the liquid passing through thedrum. Much of the liquid entering the drum I6 flows over the top of thescreens III! and downwardly through the screens, through a third cushionII6 of copper or aluminum wool and back to the drum I4 through themedium of a pipe H8. The cushion H6 is arranged between the partitionI08 and a slotted partition I20. The purified exhaust gases pass fromthe drum I6 through a vent I22. v uid through the conduits 96 and 98,after which theliquid passes through the drum I6 and is delivered to themixing chamber or drum I4 through the medium of the conduit I I8.

Referring to Fig. 4, particles of carbon entering the'drum I4 will tendto pass through the slots 32 and accummulate in the collector box 26. Inthis connection, the serrated edges 62 tend to break large particles ofcarbon entering the drum.

Means for actuating the clutch 80 comprises a lever I24 pivotallymounted at I26 upon the frame member I2. This leveris connected with alink I 28 connected with an arm I30 fastened to the valve plug I32enclosed within the valve housing 38. Adjustment of the lever I24 isattained through the medium of Bowden wire I34 having an end passingthrough the instrument board I36 and provided with a grip I38. Thus, thevalve 38 is open for directing the exhaust gases into the drums I4 andI6 simultaneously with the engagement of the clutch part 80 with itssheave 82.

The collector box 26 may be provided with a drain valve I40, while thehead 40 may be provided with an adjustable air inlet valve I42. Thisvalve permits air to be drawn into the drum I4 so that it may comminglewith the agitated contents of the exhaust gases. In Fig. 3, I illustratea drum I44 in association with the pipe 36, which drum functions as acooling device for the exhaust gases passing to the purifying drums.

I provide a pressure relief valve I46'for the drum I6. This valveoperates to provide a bleed to the atmosphere in cases where thepressure in the drum exceeds. a predetermined value. In certain cases,the pressure in the drum maybe built up due to high engine speed or aslow filtering action due to the accumulation of foreign matter in thetreating fluid to a point where it would interfere withthe efficientoperation of the engine.

Under such conditions the valve I46 will operate to relieve the press c.Of course, a supply of new treating fluid will remedy the situation in alarge measure, while excessive pressure due to engine speeds is a rareoccurrence.

In Fig. '7, I have illustrated an agitator of slightly differentconstruction in which the difference resides in the helical formation ofthe blades I48, which blades correspond to the blades The agitator 54forces liqremoved to permit liquid to be poured into the drum.

Without further elaboration the foregoing will so fully explain myinvention that others may, by

appyling current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under variousconditions of service.

I claim:

1. A device of the type described comprising a drum for containing anexhaust gas purifying fluid, means for connecting the drum with theexhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine, an agitator arrangedwithin said drum, said agitator comprising helical blades arranged inspaced apart relation and agitating blades positioned between the same,clutch means for operating said agitator, a valve and conduit meansconnecting the exhaust pipe with said drum, and means operativelyconnecting said clutch means and said valve, to operate the two as aunit, whereby the clutch is engaged when the valve is open for directingthe exhaust gases to the drum.

2. A device of the type described comprising a drum for containing anexhaust gas purifying fluid, means for connecting the drum with theexhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine, an agitator arrangedwithin said drum, said agitator comprising helical blades arranged inspaced apart relation and agitating blades positioned between the same,clutch means for operating said agitator, a valve and conduit meansconnecting the exhaust pipe with said drum, means operatively connectingsaid clutch means and said valve, to operate the two as a unit, wherebythe clutch is engaged when the valve is open for directing the exhaustgases to the drum, and a second drum having communication with saidfirst-named drum and provided with filtering means.

3. A device of the type described comprising a drum for containing anexhaust gas purifying fluid, said drum having a slotted area, means forconnecting the drum with the exhaust pipe of an internal combustionengine, an agitator arranged within said drum, said agitator comprisinghelical blades arranged in spaced apart relation and agitating bladespositioned between the same, and a collector box associated with theslotted area of the drum for receiving foreign matter entering the same,said agitating blades having serrated edges co-operating with theslotted area of the drum for grinding large particles of foreign matter,and the helical blades being provided with perforations.

4. A device of the type described comprising a drum for containing anexhaust gas purifying fluid, means for connecting the drum with theexhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine, an agitator arrangedwithin said drum, clutch means for operating said agitator, a valve andconduit means connecting the exhaust pipe with said drum, and meansoperatively connecting said clutch means and said valve, to operate thetwo,

whereby the clutch is engaged when the valve is opened for directing theexhaust gases to the STEVE F. PLACKO, JR.

